Russian Drugs Pass as Supplements in U.S. Two pharmaceutical-grade drugs are being marketed as brain-boosting supplements

Both vinpocetine and picamilon are prescribed as cerebrovascular drugs in several other countries, but are sold as nutritional supplements in the U.S. and marketed to improve focus and memory. Neither is a simple botanical extract: vinpocetine is the product of heavy refinement of the alkaloid vincamine (found in the lesser periwinkle Vinca minor), while picamilon has no known natural source and is only produced synthetically. There's been increasing interest in nootropics -- substances that boost cognitive function -- for healthy patients to prevent disease, as well as for patients with neurological or muscle diseases, including Alzheimer's, dementia, and multiple sclerosis (MS), but in some instances these compounds may cause more harm than good. Vinpocetine, for instance, has been observed to disrupt myelin repair, which could be especially problematic for MS patients.